ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. court — of law
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. squash — the sport
  11. present — the time now
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. present — there
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. court — of a king
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. present — a gift
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. plane — a tool
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. squash — to crush

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com